Columbia Skate Park Will Soon be a Reality

But, it wasn't just a chance to show off their skills, the area skaters also got an announcement that could make their dream into a reality.

Not every jump can pay off, as some of the skaters learned Saturday. "I spend a lot of time with it. You gotta get good at it... When I jump in the air, I just feel like I have control over something and it's just really, really fun," says skater Caleb Brown.

But, they may have also learned that hard work does. City Council member Anne Sinclair announced at the event that they have set aside a half a million dollars to help build a new skate park, to replace the one that was torn down at Owens Field. "I believe it's important for us to try and meet the diverse needs of our community. It's not just a matter of having plenty of baseball fields and basketball courts and tennis courts," she says.

It's the cause that's behind local non-profit Pour it Now. "It's gonna be so fun actually skating in a park and the dream of actually having a skate park is coming true," says Brown.

Brown has been a part of Pour it Now for the past year, and knows how skaters are looked at in some places. "The basic stereotype of a skateboarder is a delinquent, stuff like that, but a lot of them aren't. They just want to skate, have a place to skate and have fun," he says.

That's not how the City of Columbia sees them either. "While I think I have been the champion of the skate park, city council as a whole is very supportive of this," says Sinclair.

And with everyone working together, the obstacles are getting smaller, as they continue to jump higher. "All this hard work is paying off and I'm just really glad to see that not just me, but all the skaters in Columbia will have a place to skate," says Brown.

Pour it Now officials say the skate park will be a smooth, concrete surface, which will lead to fewer injuries.

Plans for the park are ready and the city will begin taking contractors' bids in the near future.